


Road Taken, Innocence Forsaken

by Cormag_Ravenstaff



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Coming of Age, Drama, Family, Four-Shot, Gen, Loss of Innocence, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-02 22:16:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13327485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cormag_Ravenstaff/pseuds/Cormag_Ravenstaff
Summary: Before the war, they all started somewhere. In Nohr, life is brutal. Even royalty faces their battles sooner than they would like. Elise learns what survival means. Leo sees the truth of war. Camilla takes up a purpose. Xander discovers what battle truly is.Four-Shot, in which the first battle and kill of each sibling is explored.





	1. Elise

**Elise  
Dusk Falls**

"Milady, I don't think—"

"Hush, Effie! Don't ruin the fun!"

Both snapped their mouths shut as footsteps passed their hiding place. The smell from the kitchens intoxicated the youths, serving as their motivation.

Effie's stomach growled loudly, and Elise marveled at how that didn't give them away. She loved her friend, truly she did. But the girl could eat and never stop.

"Okay, I think we can—"

The doors of the closet opened. Elise and Effie tumbled out, their limbs tied together.

"I thought I heard something in there," her older brother sighed. Leo ran a hand through his hair, exhaustion and mild irritation arrayed on his face. "Were I a gambling man, I'd have wagered it'd be you two in here."

"I'm sorry, milord." Effie bowed deeply. "Please don't punish me."

Despite his disposition, Leo chuckled. "Effie, you're not my retainer. It is not my duty to punish you. That would be the responsibility of the girl whom has yet to find her feet."

Elise had gotten tangled in her skirt. At long last she extracted herself from the floor and stood, blowing a raspberry at Leo. "Way to ruin our fun, big brother!"

"What was it this time? Last time I found you stealing one of the guard's halberds—"

"I only wanted to see if they really were taller than me!"

"—so I can't imagine what shenanigans you've gotten up to now."

"Milord, we were going to pilfer some food from the kitchens," Effie answered.

"Traitor!" gasped Elise as she dramatically rested a hand over her heart.

Leo nodded with approval towards the older girl. "Well, a little more harmless this time. But Elise, you can order the servants to bring you food at any point. Why hid in a servant closet and try to steal it?"

"For fun, dummy!"

Leo sighed the sigh only older brothers could. "Well, I can't say I know what to do with you. Effie, do try to at least keep her safe, yes?"

"Of course, milord. It is my sworn duty." Effie bowed again.

Leo nodded. "Elise, father sent me to find you. He's given you lead to visit Corrin at the Northern Fortress."

Elise bubbled with excitement, then paused. "I didn't ask father yet, though."

"Camilla and I did. We know you've been itching to go for a while now. And Xander is there, and it's been a long time since you've seen him—"

Elise leapt on Leo, clinging like a magnet to her older brother in embrace. Leo broke off his sentence with a gasp as his sister lovingly assaulted him.

"Elise!" gasped Leo as he rocked back and forth. "Elise!"

Leo toppled over while Elise still squealed with delight. Effie tried to smother her chuckle.

Servants in Krakenburg walked past them without more than a second thought. Such a display was rather typical of the youngest two scions of Nohr.

-X-

Elise hummed along to the clacking of horse hooves while Arthur yammered on to Effie behind her. A few more royal guards rode behind them, but they kept to themselves. She absent mindedly tapped on the orb of her staff.

Leo had wanted a large escort for her, but Elise had refused. Originally she'd just wanted Effie and Arthur, but even Camilla had shut her down on that. And one does not argue with Camilla.

"Lady Elise, Effie and I have a question for you!" Arthur called out through Effie's audible groan.

"Hmm?" Elise slowed her horse down so her retainers were on either side of her.

"Effie and I were wondering whether it was just to steal food from the kitchens. After all, it would not do to steal!" Arthur said.

Effie fixed Elise with a look that said 'save me', and Elise answered. "Well, the food technically belongs to the royal family, so I wasn't stealing. But Effie however…"

Arthur gasped and looked at Effie in betrayal. "Effie, how could you!" The retainer groaned and reached her armored hand up to pull at her hair.

Metal hit metal as an arrow plinked off the plate armor and landed on the road.

Elise's eyes fell onto the small shaft of wood and Arthur was already moving, spurring his horse in front of Elise's. He raised his buckler and another arrow ricocheted off.

"Bandits!" cried one of the royal guards before an arrow found purchase in his throat.

"Protect your princess!" yelled Effie whilst hurling a javelin. Rewarded with a scream from the trees, she leapt from her horse.

Elise's horse shrieked as an arrow struck it and took off. Galloping with speed, it put distance between not only the bandits, but Elise's guards.

"Stop!" screamed Elise to no avail. The horse had its first taste in combat and decided it was not a fan.

A javelin flew from the forest. It missed, but as it found a home in the ground, Elise's horse threw her from the saddle.

It wasn't a long fall, but for a pampered princess, it hurt. Elise groaned in pain, still holding her heal staff.

Footsteps. She opened her eyes and saw a thin, lanky man above her. He was dressed sloppily in rags. A bandit, for sure.

"They sure do make 'em pretty in the capitol," he muttered through a grin. "Get up, girlie."

"I-I can't," Elise whimpered. As she tried to move her leg, pain throbbed through it. The injury was worse than she thought.

"Girlie, you're gonna stand up now, or else I'm gonna show you what bandits do to girlies they find," he threatened. The bandit took a step towards her, waving an axe.

 _I wish Camilla was here. Or Xander. Or Leo. Or…anybody!_  Elise used her heal staff to slowly stand.

"Sometime today, girlie," snarled the bandit, roughly yanking her to her feet. Elise cried out as he began dragging her, the wounded leg pulsing with pain on the dirt road.

Elise swung her healing staff at the bandit. He dropped her as it made contact with his skull. He fell to the ground, dazed.

Scrambling to one knee, Elise brought the staff above her head and smashed it against the bandit's skull. The orb cracked. Ignoring the pain in her leg, Elise brought the staff down again on the same spot. The orb shattered.

And the bandit didn't move.

Numbly, she dropped the staff. The pain was an afterthought now. She'd killed a man.

Horse hooves resounded nearby. Elise looked up and saw Effie riding towards her. Relief surged through her body as she blacked out.

-X-

"…her horse ran ahead?"

"Yes, milady. An arrow struck it, and it ran off with her still on it."

"And you found her with a dead bandit in front of her?"

"And her staff smashed, yes. I believe she beat him to death."

"Thank you, Effie. You're dismissed."

Elise cracked an eye open. From her bed, she could see Camilla in the doorway. Xander stood with her, looking regal and poised as ever.

She snapped her eye shut as the two entered the room, closing the door behind her. The weight of their gaze fell on her.

"She's twelve and already killed someone," Camilla said. Her bed shifted as Camilla sat down.

"We were all young when we killed our first man," Xander said. "They were just bandits, right? Not Hoshidan?"

"If they were Hoshidan, I suspect father wouldn't take this as lightly as he did," Camilla replied.

Xander began to pace. "Father has called on me to lead a skirmish across the border. I'll leave Elise in your hands."

Camilla said nothing.

Xander continued. "Sister…I give you permission to hunt down these bandits. Make them hurt for attacking our baby sister."

Elise didn't need to open her eyes to see the cruel smile playing out over Camilla's face. "With pleasure."

The door opened and the Crown Prince of Nohr left the room.

Elise passed back into sleep as the door closed. A time later, her eyes opened.

"Camilla?"

Her older sister, whom had moved to a chair, jolted out of her rest. "Elise!" Her arms were around the younger sister in seconds.

"Where am I?"

Camilla stroked her hair in a motherly way. "The Northern Fortress. How are you feeling?"

"My leg hurts," Elise said with a shrug.

Her older sister nodded and loosed her arms around Elise. Only a little.

"And…?" Camilla looked unsure how to approach the subject. It was an uncommon look to her.

"I don't really remember anything," lied Elise. "The last thing I can remember is falling from my horse, then I woke up here."

For a brief moment, Camilla's relief want unhidden. She smothered it as she hugged Elise again tightly. "There's nothing to remember. Effie came and saved you. And what matters is you're safe now."

"Tell Effie I would like to see her later, then," Elise said.

Camilla paused, then nodded. "I'll go let her know. Will you be alright on your own for a few minutes?"

"Yes."

Camilla slinked away and left through the door. Elise stared at the door, dropping the mask. She  _killed_ someone.

And didn't feel a thing. Oh, the shock was there, but the guilt wasn't.

She wasn't ready to die. So she stopped him from killing her, or worse.

The thought eased her, and a small smile came back to her face. No need to worry her siblings.

A knock hit the door. "Elise?" It was Effie's voice.

"Come in!" she said cheerily.


	2. Leo

**Leo  
Condemnation**

"I don't like the idea of him being here," Xander said amidst a frown on his face. It wasn't directed at Leo, but rather the other man in the room with them.

Iago chuckled. "Ah, but your father was the one who wished him here."

"Perhaps you misinterpreted my father's wishes," Xander said, enunciating the word 'my' clearly.

The advisor to the king turned to Leo. "Boy, speak up. Would you like to be sent home? Safe from the upcoming battle like a coward?"

Leo shook his head vigorously, saying nothing.

"See? The boy wants to be here."

"A battlefield is no place for a child—"

"I'm not a child!" Leo retorted, drawing the gazes of both men. "I'm thirteen!"

"Precisely!" Iago said. "The boy is well on his way to becoming a true prince of Nohr!"

Xander sighed and looked down at the maps on the war table in front of him. In clipped words, he asked, "Then why do you call him child? If my brother is ready to be on the field of battle, then address him properly."

Iago floundered, albeit briefly. "Of course, I never meant any disrespect for Prince Leo. The b—that is, the man is well on his way to living up to his title."

Leo smiled, surging with pride as Xander corrected Iago. Xander offered him a small nod. "Iago, you're dismissed. We'll go over the plan again later."

The mage stiffened. "Milord, I—"

"Dismissed." Xander's command was akin to a growl, and his eye brooked no disagreement. Iago turned heel and left the war tent.

Leo's older brother gestured to him. Leo crossed the tent to his brother's side, next to the table.

"I have no idea what father was thinking, sending you here with me," Xander said. Leo's smile drooped. "This is a dangerous place, and I don't want to see you hurt."

"I can fight though! My tutors say I'm better with magic than anyone my age!" Leo protested, gripping the tome in his hands tightly.

Xander smiled and knelt by his brother. Leo hadn't hit a growth spurt yet, much to his distaste. "Little brother, I have no doubt that you're adept at magic. I've seen you in the training yard. But slinging spells is not all battle is comprised of."

"I don't understand." Leo shook his head, confused.

Xander pointed at the war table. "If battle was simply two forces charging at each other, sword and magic at the ready, then the side with greater numbers would win.

"War isn't that. It's tactics, it's planning, it's clever men and women plotting out maneuvers. It's an art as much as it is brutal. You are a prince of Nohr, which means you'll be leading armies one day, as I do. And for you to do that well, there is much for you to learn, and more importantly, observe."

"Observe?"

"Observe," echoed Xander. "I'll find you an overlook of some sort where you can see the battle. While you're there, I want you to see what you can observe, and we'll talk about it after the battle."

"Okay," Leo said cheerfully.

Xander chuckled. "Run along now. I'll see you before the battle."

Leo walked out of the war tent, passing Iago as he walked back in. The man cast Leo a look as they passed.

-X-

The view from the cliff gave Leo a full picture of the battlefield. And the height from his horse certainly helped.

"Hmm, I hope this battle finishes quickly," Iago grumbled. "I do detest participating in this kind of barbaric behavior. Court is so much more exciting." He sounded bored.

How could he be? Leo's eyes were glued to the scene that was unfolding in front of him. The Hoshidans were spread out to his right while the Nohrians on his left. The young prince saw his brother's standard and kept note of where it was.

Minutes ticked by, each consecutive orated by Iago's complaining. Leo paid him no mind, and he doubted any of the other guards did as well.

A horn bellowed from the Hoshidan side, and their charge began. They fielded no cavalry, choosing infantry over mounts. The Nohrians formed neat ranks and prepared to weather the enemy charge.

 _Where are our paladins?_ Leo wonder, looking around. He found his brother's standard and looked for horses. None.

A cry from above stole his attention. He had forgotten to look to the sky! Pegasi met Wyverns as men and women from both sides fell to their deaths below. There couldn't have been above fifty on either side, but the fighting above looked more intense than below.

The crash as the armies met resounded as far away as Leo was, stealing his eyes back to the ground. Black hit red, distinctly enough for Leo to keep track of where each army was.

 _Where's my brother?_ Leo looked at his brother's standard, but it didn't move. Was Xander waiting for something?

A few minutes passed and a stalemate blossomed. Neither army gained ground nor lost it.

Another horn blew, coming from the Nohrian side.

On cue, horse hooves pounded against the ground. The Nohrian cavalry charged the Hoshidans from the side. The Hoshidan force fell apart, unable to adapt to the sudden force of paladins hitting them.

"Hmph, typical. And I thought maybe we'd see an exciting battle. Just my luck," muttered Iago.

Typical? If this was what battles were like, then Leo knew where his place would be. A smile found its home on his face as he watched the Nohrians defeat their enemies.

-X-

Leo was part of the crowd that welcomed back his eldest brother. Cheering heralded the returning victors. Xander waved, a tired smile accepting the praise. As he passed Leo, he nodded, his smile growing fuller for a mere blink of an eye, then fading.

A finger tapped Leo's shoulder. He turned to see Iago. "Come with me. Your father has asked me to show you something."

Leo turned and followed the advisor obediently. Together they walked through the war camp to a distant tent. Iago stopped outside, and looked down to Leo. "Your brother told you there is more than meets the eye to war. Having watched that battle, what can you tell me war and battle is?"

"The army who is cleverer wins," Leo said.

"Sometimes." Iago shrugged, an almost amused glint in his eye. "Sometimes the army who fields the most archers wins. Or mages. Or doesn't have the sun in their eyes. There's no rulebook of war that tells you what you need to win. There's only one thing you need to be able to win a war."

"What's that?" Leo asked, his mind trying to come up with the answer from the battle he'd just observed.

"Killers. You need people who are willing to kill." And with that, Iago turned and stepped inside the tent.

Leo paused. He took a deep breath, and entered the tent.

Darkness was all Leo saw for a moment. Then, light. Iago's hand cloaked in fire lit the tent up. And revealed the wounded man chained up.

"Who is this?" Leo asked.

"Doesn't matter," dismissed Iago. He lifted his hand up, the fire growing bigger. The whole tent bathed in light as Iago turned to Leo.

"Kill him."

Leo took a step back. "I don't—"

"What? You don't want to? Your brother told me to treat you like a prince, and princes are meant to get their hands dirty." Iago's face was anything but amusement now. Irritation grew like a weed, and kept growing. "Don't be a coward shirking your duty. A prince of Nohr is a killer, and you must become that."

Leo hugged the book close to his body. The tome was of the fire variety and whispered to him.

Wait, no, it wasn't the tome, but the prisoner.

"Please don't kill me…" wheezed the Hoshidan. His wounds made it difficult to speak.

"Boy," Iago growled. "You are nothing compared to your eldest brother and sister. Nothing compared to Corrin. I suspect Corrin would not hesitate to fulfill this task." A cruel smile. "Your father instructed me to have you participate in this battle. Do you want to disobey his orders? I knew you were a fool, but I didn't take you for a man without balls. Perhaps it's not only balls you lack but—"

Fire streamed from Leo's fingers, coating the Hoshidan in the blaze. The man screamed briefly before the fire grew more intense. Whatever his name had been, it didn't matter anymore as the body became one with the ash.

"Hmph, I'm a little impressed," Iago chuckled. He looked over at Leo and whatever humor he had found withered. "Are you crying? The man is but a Hoshidan! You are a prince, a mere soldier matters not to someone of your station—"

Amidst the tears, Leo looked up at the advisor. "Get. Out."

"Excuse me? You dare—"

"I am your prince. Get the  _fuck_ out of this tent!" screamed Leo, his shrill voice betraying his youth.

But Iago still took a step back. "Boy, do not presu—ack!"

The front of his robes caught on fire as Leo flung flame at him. Iago snuffed the flames, but looked at Leo with shock. With a growl, he left the tent.

The prince of Nohr fell to his knees and let out a choked sob. With a wave of his hand, the fire that burned the body went out.

The smell finally became apparent in his mind. Without a second thought, Leo turned his head and vomited.

He didn't know how long he lay there. No one entered the tent.

Slowly, Leo picked himself off the ground. He wiped away some of the dried vomit from his lips.

His feet carried him to the body. It was unrecognizable now, burnt and deformed. Leo breathed in the stench of roasted flesh and tried not to gag. He failed, but his stomach was empty.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. His hand brushed over what had once been a man's head. Now, the body could scarcely be called a man.

His mind turned to Iago. He was responsible.

"No." Leo's own voice surprised himself. It was stronger than he remembered. "I killed him."

The statement chilled the prince to the bone. But it was true. He did this.

It was his failure. But Iago would pay. Leo didn't know how, or when. But it would happen.

Leo exited the tent, looking for a shovel. Not one soldier stopped him as he walked to the supply tent. They stepped out of his way, even bowing to him as he passed.

Leo would have his revenge. But first he had a body to bury.


	3. Camilla

**Camilla  
You of the Dark**

"I'll wait outside for ya, milady," the scruffy guard said with a nod. His lance rested on his shoulder as he leaned against the building lazily.

Offering him only a nod, Camilla stepped inside the shop. It was small, but by no means modest. Interesting wares filled the inside, scattered about with some semblance of a pattern.

"Welcome to Anna's, the only place where the price is right!" a cheerful redhead stepped out from the back of the shop. "What are you looking for today, miss?"

"Um." Camilla looked at the ground for a moment. "I think my brother told you I'd be stopping by?"

"Oh? And what's his name?"

"Xander, Crown Prince of Nohr."

Anna blinked. "Naturally. Hang on a moment, dear." The merchant retreated to the depths of the store and left Camilla on her own.

The girl stepped towards one of the tables and idly looked around. Her eyes fell on a tome covered by a few sheets of paper. It was as if it were whispering to her, calling out…

"Here we are!" Anna exclaimed as she entered the main room once again. In her arms were several swords, varying from simple silver to more elegant designs. "I've got everything from iron to silver. Plus a few special kinds beyond that."

"Which would you recommend? Money is no object." Camilla couldn't ignore the hungry look in Anna's eyes as the sentence registered in her mind.

"Normally, I would wring every coin out of someone who said that. But I don't think your brother would take kindly to that." Anna's words were reluctant, as if they took great physical pain to say. "How much experience do you have with a sword?"

"Very little," Camilla admitted. "I've only begun training."

Anna nodded. "Then we'll forgo some of the fun weapons for now." She picked up one of the blades, still wreathed in a sheath. "This is a silver sword. Nothing too fancy, but some of the highest quality metal on the market. A weapon meant for a princess."

The princess in question accepted the weapon. Pulling it from its sheath, she held it aloft. "It's heavier than I expected."

"Can't cut through armor unless it's that heavy," Anna said, not unkindly. "What do you think?"

She gave the weapon an experimental swing (Anna taking a step back from the fledging swordswoman). "I'll take it."

"Perfect!" Anna said, a glimmer in her eye. "I'll throw in the baldric for free. Do you have the money?"

Camilla nodded and briefly stepped out of the shop. She motioned to her guard, and the man passed her a sack of money. She held it out to Anna and in a moment it was snatched from her grip.

"Excellent! Pleasure doing business with you, milady." Anna's eyes were focused on the money as if everything else had ceased to exist.

"Perhaps I'll stop by for one of those more advanced swords sometime," Camilla said with a smile.

Anna cracked a grin, Camilla earning her attention for a moment. "I always have time for a loyal customer!"

-X-

"I'm impressed," Xander said as he examined the sword. "It's well made. That merchant had me expecting a swindle, but she's surprised me."

"When can you start teaching me?" Camilla asked eagerly, her feet swinging in excitement as she sat upright on her bed.

Xander paused for a moment. "Tomorrow. Father has some business to discuss with me about my coming of age ceremony."

"You're an old man, big brother." Camilla giggled.

The Crown Prince rolled his eyes and swatted his sister lightly on her thigh. "You won't be calling me old after we train tomorrow." He stood up, brushing a few wrinkles out of his expensive tunic. "I need to be off. I promised Leo I'd come see him so he could read a story to me from that book of his he's always talking about."

"He's got a knack for reading aloud," Camilla said. "All the voices he does are surprising for a kid."

Xander blinked in surprise. "He's already read you it?"

"A trial run for you, I think." Camilla smiled, thinking of her little brother's eagerness.

A chuckle brought her back. "Well, then I best not keep him waiting. I'll come by tomorrow and start teaching you. Is midday good?"

"Yes."

Her older brother nodded and bade her farewell. Camilla took the sword and drew the blade, admiring it for the hundredth time. The sheen of unused metal glimmered in the light.

There was something fascinating about it.  _Her_ weapon.  _Her_ sword.

She smiled.

-X-

Camilla didn't even want to look at the sword as she tossed it aside carelessly in her room. Xander, true to his word, had shown her he wasn't an old man. Bruises ran up and down her body, leaving her sore. She lay down on her bed, and even that hurt.

There was a small sense of accomplishment in her. That feeling when Xander praised her for doing something correctly. But at the moment, it was smothered by exhaustion.

With a sense of will that many would admire, Camilla picked herself off the bed. Slovenly she walked to the door, planning to wander aimlessly.

The guard outside her door nodded to her. As she walked, he followed, giving her enough room to be alone with her thoughts.

She meandered for an hour until she found her feet had carried her to her brother's room, Corrin.

With her guard waiting outside, she entered the room.

Unlike Camilla's room, Corrin's was devoid of any finery. It was plain, droll.

"Big sister!" Corrin cried as he ran to her side, his toys forgotten on the ground.

"Hello, little prince," she cooed, wrapping him up in her arms. The pain came on like a bitch and hugging her brother became a struggle for life.

When the white haired boy finally detached himself from Camilla, the relief was divine. But still she smiled as if nothing had hurt.

"What are we playing today?" she asked, guiding Corrin over to his toys. Enthusiastically, he told her a great tale of the adventure he'd conjured up. She cheered on the heroic moments and booed the villains.

"—and then Sigurd drew his holy weapon that the gods had bestowed upon his family and charged—"

A scream erupted in the hallway just outside the door. Corrin cut off on his tale, frozen by the sudden noise.

Camilla stood up slowly and walked to the door. With a wary hand, she touched the doorknob. As she turned the metal device, the door swung open, striking her in the face.

The princess fell against the ground, grasping her forehead in pain. A man walked into the room, wreathed in black.

Camilla's guard leapt at the man. The scruffy man was bleeding profusely as he tried to swing his axe at the intruder. The man in black flipped a knife in his hand and gutted her guard, letting the dead body fall to the floor in a heap.

The man turned his attention to Corrin who was slowly backing away towards the corner of the room. The intruder strode towards him, stepping over the young prince's toys. He sheathed his knife, blood still covering the blade.

Camilla rolled over, dizzy, as the man approached her brother. Her eyes locked on the guard's lifeless eyes that were fixed on her.

She didn't even know his name.

Crawling across the ground, the ringing in her head destroying her ability to focus, her hands clasped around the handle of the axe. With effort, she stood.

The man in black had her brother in his arms, immobilized. He stared at her, eyes hard and unforgiving. "Stay down, girl."

 _That voice,_  Camilla thought through her haze.  _Hoshidan._

But she did not back down. The princess put herself between the door and the man. She hefted the axe in her hands, the weapon's weight feeling comfortable to her.

The intruder sighed and drew his dagger again. He moved forward to strike, but it was not Camilla's scream that resonated.

Corrin bit the man's hand, drawing blood from his palm. With all her might, Camilla swung the axe low, hitting the man's leg.

Blood spurted and the man collapsed in agony, his leg useless. He scrambled, dropping Corrin and going for the knife. But Camilla's axe swung in an overhead arc that obliterated the torso of the hoshidan.

She left the axe embedded where it was. Wrapping Corrin up in her arms, she whispered to him to calm her little brother. "I won't let anyone hurt you. Ever."

They stayed like that until Xander and Gunter burst into the room with a horde of guards. Corrin's eyes were shut, still trying to forget what they saw.

Camilla's sights were on the axe that she'd wielded. It felt good, strong. It felt like the weight had a purpose.

The sword she'd cast aside in her room would never find her hand again. But the bloody axe would.


	4. Xander

**Xander  
A Dark Fall**

"Chin up, boy." Gunter's gruff voice shook Xander out of his reverie. "We're almost there. Sit up straight."

Xander pushed his shoulders back and attempted to look the visage of royalty. "Will father be in the camp when we arrive?"

"Possibly. Possibly not. But still you will continue to act your station. The king will have my head if he hears his firstborn slouched in his saddle."

Xander sighed and almost slouched.

Gunter eyed him and cast a glance behind them at the few dozen soldiers they led. Gunter's personal unit, assigned for the moment to escort the crown prince to the front. "We're still a few miles off. Xander, what say you to a race?"

"What?"

"You see that tree out there?" Gunter pointed his armored hand out, singling out a tree on a hill. A small smile brightened up his older features. "Shall we race for it?"

A childish grin unfurled on Xander's face. "Oh, you're on, old man."

"Hmph, you ought to treat your elders with respect. Doran, would you care to give us a count off?"

One of Gunter's men nodded. "Three…two…one…go!"

Xander cracked the reins. His horse, Regal, burst into a charge, savoring the competition almost as much as its rider did.

For a moment, Xander flew. The wind brushed his locks out of his vision and the tree was all he focused on. But a look over his shoulder revealed Gunter smirking as he began to edge up to Xander and Regal.

Gunter's armored horse was the biggest beast Xander had ever seen. The fact that a creature could run that fast with the armor plates  _plus_ a rider astounded him.

"Hyah!" Xander shouted, spurring Regal faster. His horse barely made a sound, opting only to speed up. The distance Gunter had gained fell away and Xander could scarcely hear his mentor shouting at his horse to speed up.

"Faster faster faster!" Xander bent down and whispered in his horse's ear. "We're almost there."

Indeed they were. The tree on the hill was rapidly approaching, and Regal was tiring from the exertion. His hooves began to hit the ground with less frequency.

"Hyah!" Gunter's gravelly voice resurged in Xander's ears. The old man leveled with Xander, matching Regal's speed. The tree was no more than thirty feet away.

"Regal!" The horse spurred at its master's call and picked up the pace. Xander reached out a hand and brushed it against the tree as he passed it.

Sucking in breath he hadn't realized he'd lost, Xander slowed Regal to a halt. Gunter rode up next to him seconds later.

"You've become a fine rider, Xander," Gunter said, a chuckle rolling over in his voice. "Not many people have that sort of command over their steed."

"I learned from the best." Xander mustered a grin while brushing his hand across Regal's mane.

"Take a moment to see to your horse. I must speak to my soldiers before we enter camp," Gunter said, turning his mount around. "We'll meet you here."

Xander nodded and dismounted. He stepped up towards Regal's head and began to rub his steed affectionately. "Good job," Xander whispered; words for only the two of them to hear. His free hand extended to his saddlebag and retrieved a few sugar cubes. Hand out, Xander fed Regal.

Regal rubbed his head into Xander's hand. A victorious smirk blossomed on the crown prince's face. "We're a great team, Regal. Thanks for helping me beat the old man." Xander whispered the last part conspiratorially.

Regal whinnied, agreeing with him.

Hooves clattered up the hill with Gunter at the head of them. The old knight nodded to Xander. "Ready?"

-X-

Soldiers paused in their routines to bow as he passed. Xander wished they wouldn't, as their tasks in wartime were infinitely more important than paying a courtesy to their prince.

Gunter led their group, his hulking monster of a horse incentivizing soldiers to keep the path clear, as they made their way to the biggest tent in the camp.

Xander watched the flurry of activity amongst the men and women of the camp. A battle was close, he could feel it. No other circumstance would necessitate this level of clamor. Soldiers ran through the mud, uncaring as it splattered on their polished armor. Servants ran from tent to tent, delivering everything from messages to food to weapons. They had arrived on the cusp of something.

"See something interesting?" Gunter asked, slowing his horse down.

Regal matched the pace of Gunter's steed. Xander nodded and gestured across their vision. "There's a lot of confusion and people running around. Is a battle near?"

Gunter looked out over the bodies scrambling as if noticing it for the first time. He responded, "This is the front of the war against Hoshido. There will always be a certain level of activity in a warcamp as there are always things to prepare for." Xander's mentor paused. "Though this does seem a bit more frenzied than I would normally expect."

They rode the rest of the way in silence, albeit for the loud cacophony of the warcamp. Several men were ready to take their horses. Xander breathed a few strong words to the man who took Regal's reins. With a pat of farewell, Xander joined Gunter at the entrance of the tent.

"Ready?" Gunter asked.

"No slouching," answered Xander, putting extra emphasis on keeping his back straight.

His mentor chuckled and brushed the canvas door of the tent open.

"His lordship Gunter of Krakenburg and crown prince Xander of Nohr!" A loud voice announced their presence to the denizens of the tent.

All heads perked up and offered bows of respect, even wily Iago from the far end of the table. King Garon stood at the opposite end of the table, clad in black armor with his axe not far off.

He looked older than Xander remembered, a few extra wrinkles marring his face. His hair was a host of blonde, a shade lighter than Xander's, with patches of grey beginning to rise. Xander's father smiled upon seeing his son.

"My son, you've arrived just in time." Garon gestured for Xander to join him at the head of the table. Gunter joined the generals and lords near Garon. They stepped away to allow the knight his place.

Garon shifted to allow Xander room to stand. "Lords and ladies, my son has come from the capital to learn from the best of you all. It is good fortune we are on the eve of battle so he need not wait long!" A strong murmur of agreement resounded through the room. Xander stood up straighter, if possible.

"Sir Gunter."

"Your grace," Gunter nodded, giving the king his full attention.

"You will lead the vanguard. There is no one here I would trust with that honor but you." A rustle of annoyance passed around the table. King Garon either was oblivious to it or simply paid it no mind as it died as soon as it erupted. "As well," any voices that hadn't quelled certainly did now, "you will take Xander with you. Watch over him but do not coddle him. The next king of Nohr ought to learn what being a soldier is like."

Gunter frowned. "Your grace—"

"Gunter, I trust my orders will be carried out." The king fixed his knight with a stern glance.

The wizened soldier paused, then nodded. "As your grace commands."

Xander tried not to let the fear that grew within him reach his expression.

-X-

Regal clopped his hooves, mimicking Xander's anxiety. The unit he rode with was quiet, as they tried gain as much ground without drawing too much attention to themselves.

The plan was to emerge from the forest at dawn when the sun would hit their enemies' eyes. The hoshidan force held the entrance to a canyon that served as an avenue for nohrian supply lines. The hoshidans knew the significance, of course, and had stationed a great deal of soldiers there. Gunter's vanguard would hit them quick and retreat, leaving the hoshidans open for another assault as they scrambled.

"In and out," Xander whispered to himself and Regal. The horse offered him a soft whiney in response. Xander gave his steed a comforting pat, more for his own benefit of having something to do.

Gunter's horse trot up to Xander and matched his pace. The old man looked his charge up and down. "You're nervous." It wasn't a question.

"Scared, yeah." Xander's mellow voice stayed low, an effort to keep his feelings away from the other men and women in the unit.

"Stay near me in the charge or as close to any of the others as possible," Gunter said. "I do not approve of the king's orders to have you march in the vanguard. It seems needlessly dangerous. But I will follow his command, as will you."

"Of course," Xander said with a flicker of indignation. "I'm ready for this."

"I thought you were scared?" Gunter said with a quirked eyebrow asking the question.

Xander nodded. "I am. But that doesn't mean I'm up to this task."

Gunter paused. Then a small chuckle rumbled from his throat. "You remind me of your father, Xander, from many years ago. Very well, I cede that you are prepared. But nevertheless, stick near me in case anything go awry."

The old knight galloped away, leaving Xander to his thoughts as they marched through the forest.

"I meant what I said. I'm ready for this," Xander spoke aloud quietly.

Regal responded with a grunt.

A chuckle escaped Xander. "Glad to have you with me." He gave his horse a scratch behind the ears.

-X-

"Breathe, soldiers of Nohr," Gunter intoned, his voice carrying across the near hundred cavalry troops in the unit. "Remember to breathe, else a lack of air will distract you. We have a mission to do, as commanded by our king."

Xander glanced around his position in the vanguard. The soldiers around him had varying visages of resolution. Firm faces baring no sense of fear or discourse. One of them caught him looking and cast him a smile. Xander returned it, his breathing turning a tad more relaxed.

"We will ride out there, hit them quick and hard. Then we'll retreat. An easy directive, so listen for my signal."

Regal shifted nervously, feeling the tension in the air. He tapped the ground with his hoof impatiently, waiting for something to happen.

"Today we send these hoshidans to hell," Gunter said, louder. He drew one of the two swords at his waist. The rest of unit mirrored his action, Xander following a few moments late.

"Now, we ride." And without warning, Gunter spurred his horse forward out of the trees. Xander and the rest of the unit followed suit, leaving the forest.

Xander blinked away the brightness as they emerged into an open field. Dawn's first rays may not have been in his eyes, but the light still took adjusting.

Gunter, with his free hand, blew on his horn. An exuberant bellow exuded from the instrument and the nohrians began to scream. Xander joined them, his younger voice getting lost in the mix of cries.

Ahead, the hoshidans were scrambling. They ran out of tents that were set up by the canyon entrance while more poured out of the canyon itself. They were unprepared.

A smirk adorned Xander's face. He reaffirmed his grip on the longsword in his hand and breathed.

Hoshidans formed up to take the impact of their charge. They had no cavalry, but they did have their curved spears.

Gunter hit them first. The armor plates took the impact of the lances and his sword returned it by severing a hoshidan's head.

The soldiers in front of Xander took the heat of the blow while he reaped the benefits. He leaned to the side and clipped a soldier with his sword that moved out of reach just in time.

Gunter led their unit through the camp, never slowing down. The old knight moved with experience, his sword finding purchase between sections of armor on the hoshidans. He left a bloody wake that the rest of the nohrians rode off of.

With another try, Xander leaned in his saddle and swung his sword. It buried itself in the neck of a hoshidan, dropping the man to the ground.

Pulling his sword back, Xander registered the blood on his blade. It dripped down, landing on his gauntlet. Xander stole a glance back, looking at the still crumpling man he'd slain.

The crown prince buckled.

In a flurry of movement, he made contact with the ground. Shaking his head to be rid of the daze, Xander looked for Regal.

He found his steed not five feet behind him, lying on the ground with a lance in its side. Regal's feet moved weakly, trying to run away from the pain. Blood bubbled out of his wound, cascading and mixing with the mud on the ground.

The nohrians were no longer near them, the bloody swath the carved beginning to refill with hoshidans pursuing them.

Xander stumbled to his feet, picking up his fallen sword. A hoshidan with an axe leapt at him, a feral war cry crackling through the air.

He ducked right and pierced his sword through the hoshidan's heart. It was mindless, textbook even. Xander kicked the body off of his sword, revealing a growing circle of hoshidans surrounding him.

Like a cornered mutt, his wild eyes flitted to each face in the ring with frenzy. He spun, keeping each hoshidan in view.

"A pup like this doesn't belong in war," a heavily accented voice said. An older hoshidan stepped forward and bowed. "But you and yours have killed some of my friends. For that, there can be no mercy. I am sorry. Surrender and I will give you a clean death."

Xander felt no hesitation as he lashed out at the hoshidan with a rage. His opponent batted away the blade, looking surprised at the ferocity.

The older man spun on the spot and delivered an overhand attack classic to hoshidan katana fighting. Xander blocked it with the flat of his blade and swiped his sword at the man, scoring a cut across his chest.

"Boy…" the older hoshidan ground out, no longer appearing the calm soldier as before.

The crown prince exchanged blows with the hoshidan, their blade ringing amidst the recovering battlefield and distant screams. Xander's enemy grew more irritated by the strike, his desire to kill Xander growing.

After a slash connected to his leg, albeit his armored leg, Xander stumbled back. The hoshidan advanced, taking the lost ground. With a familiar overhand chop, he brought the katana down on Xander.

It met with a clang, Xander holding his sword with a hand by the tip. The flat of the blade had caught the katana in time, though it shook from Xander's weak position.

"Give up, boy," growled the hoshidan.

Xander didn't. He swung his leg in an arc and kicked his enemy's knee. The hoshidan stumbled, his katana losing the force that it had struck with. Ducking, Xander worked his way through the man's guard and pierced his gut.

Just as the hoshidans in the ring roared, Xander relieved the man's gut of the sword and sent a second strike through his chest. With a kick, the body fell away.

The swarm of hoshidans came at him as he resumed his defensive position. Their faces had held anger before, but now fury had taken hold. Their screams turned to roars as the advanced to end him.

A horse crashed through their line and a man jumped off. Gunter executed a roll that should not have been possible for his age. Xander barely realized what had happened until Gunter's back pressed against his.

"The army is almost here. We'll hold out until then," Gunter whispered. He drew his second sword, one long and one short.

"Understood," Xander replied.

Hell broke loose.

A side of Gunter revealed itself that Xander had never seen. A violent, brutal side. For the first time, Xander knew why Gunter had been rewarded with so many accolades. He tore through hoshidans, exploiting flaws in their defenses like an afterthought.

Xander plunged his blade through the skull of the nearest hoshidan, earning an audible crack and bone broke. He pulled out and ducked the swing of an axe. Jumping towards the axe's holder to avoid a spear, Xander kicked the man's leg and stabbed him in the solar plexus.

The lance came back, this time with its bearer advancing. Xander's broadsword deflected a wandering sword as it moved to counter the lance. The lancer wasn't stupid and kept distance between him and the nohrian.

The lance stabbed forward. Xander grabbed the blade, the metal cutting through his gauntleted hand. The hoshidan lost his grip as the nohrian tugged it from his grip. Shock ruined the man's instincts and Xander's blade struck him down.

A strike landed on his back, armor absorbing some of the attack. Xander grunted as he felt blood trickle down his back. A scream erupted from behind him as Gunter struck the offender down.

Xander spared no glance. Instead he jumped at the nearest hoshidan with a flurry of blows, ending in a kill.

The hoshidans started to back away, afraid of the warrior child. Xander leveled his sword parallel with his eyes, ready for the next strike.

It didn't come. Hooves heralded a contingent of nohrians breaking through the ranks of the hoshidans. They blocked off the enemies, allowing Xander a moment's respite.

Gunter clamped a hand on Xander's shoulder. "You alright?" he shouted above the fighting.

Xander nodded, his hair a mess of blood and sweat. His armor was nicked and battered, caked with human filth. Mud stained Xander's skin, but it did not stop him from saying, "I can keep fighting."

"Boy, are you mad—"

"I am the crown prince, you will do as I command. I  _will_  fight." Xander locked eyes with his mentor.

Gunter maintained the gaze for a moment. Then, "Stay by me this time, my lord."

Xander nodded. They nohrians around them followed the duo into battle.

-X-

He liked it.

His sword leaned against his bedpost, still dripping blood to the ground. Armor lay discarded behind him, worthless until a professional took the dents out. What were left of his clothes were marred with all manners of filth, with tears running rampant at the seams.

But as Xander, crown prince of Nohr, looked in the mirror at his less than princely appearance, he caught himself smiling. His hand clenched, missing the hilt of his sword.

He picked the blade up that had claimed dozens of lives that day. The polish had long been replaced by blood, but Xander still saw his red reflection in the weapon.

A dirty crimson man looked back. Dirty with his own blood and others'. Dirty with his own sweat and others'.

Xander dropped the sword. It clattered to the ground, blood flecking up onto his feet.

He took a step back. He'd  _killed_ people today. Hoshidans or not, he'd still ended their lives. And he had enjoyed it, taken pleasure in the act of butchering them.

Vomit edged up his throat, but he fought it down. He was a sick man.

"My lord?" Gunter's voice called into the tent from outside. "His majesty wishes to speak with you."

"Send him in," Xander said, keeping the quiver out of his voice. He picked up the sword and leaned it back against his bed.

Garon stepped in, clad in the same armor Xander had seen before. It looked relatively untouched compared to Xander's.

"My son." Garon's voice thrummed with approval. "Gunter told me of how you fared in the vanguard. Told me that my son fought like a true scion of Nohr."

"I'm sure Gunter has embellished some things, father." The queasy feeling resurged in Xander's stomach, threatening to make him its bitch.

"Nonsense. In all the years I've fought alongside that man, he's never been one for embellishing." Garon's mouth ghosted into a reminiscent smile, but quickly returned to the one of a proud parent. "You did well today, Xander. You'll be an excellent example for you siblings to follow."

"I'm honored by your praise, father." He didn't mean it.

"I'm sure you're tired after that fight. I know I would be, for sure. But allow me to take your time up with two more things." Garon snapped his fingers. Gunter stepped in, holding a large blade clad within a sheath. A dark aura surrounded it, wafting like smoke.

Garon walked over to his knight and took the blade. "This is Siegfried. This blade has been within our family for generations, wielded by great nohrian heroes and kings. I believe you are the best person to utilize its full potential."

His father held it out. Xander reached a hand forward with trepidation and grasped the hilt. Slowly, he drew the weapon. Once free of its sheath, Xander almost dropped it, taken aback by the weight.

"A bit heavier than you're used to, but I'm sure Gunter can help you with that. After all, he trained you to put on the marvelous display." Garon laughed. "You should hear the soldiers. Xander, blood of the dragon, heir to the Dragon of Darkness. They respect you. Stories are flitting around camp, warming their hearts at the prospect of how strong their future king will be."

"Thank you, father." Xander meant the words, with pride even surging in him. For a perfect moment, he forgot about the bloodshed.

"And the last thing is right outside," Garon said. He put a hand on his son's back and steered him out the tent.

Right outside, held by a groom, was a magnificent horse. It was a steed similar to Gunter's, most likely the same breed. A horse bred for war, unlike Regal. And where Regal's coat had been brown, this creature's was black.

Xander blinked, seeing only his companion lying in the blood and mud of the battlefield, futilely trying to escape the pain of the wound. Had the noise of battle not blocked it out, Xander would've heard the cries of his horse.

"What do you think, Xander?' Garon said, waiting for an answer.

"A fine gift, father." Xander mustered a tired smile.

Garon accepted it. "He's yours to take care of. Rest up and then you'll have plenty of time to become acquainted."

"What its name?"

"Your horse, your decision, son." Garon nodded to his various retainers. "Send for some new clothes for my son. I won't see him walking around like he just got off the battlefield, no matter how well he performed. And I want a meal brought to him in haste." Garon turned one last time to Xander. "I'm proud of you, Xander."

And with that, his father departed.

The attendants scrambled to either fulfill their king's request or follow their liege. The groom stood with Xander's new horse and shifted awkwardly. "Um, my lord, what would you have me do with your steed?"

Xander stepped up to the black beast. It truly was a splendor creature. He ran a hand across its back. And in a single moment, he had it. "You will remind me not to forget what I felt here today, Vicious."

The horse huffed, its eyes approving of the name. Xander nodded to the groom and the nohrian took Vicious away.

Xander stepped back in his tent. He looked in the mirror before the attendants arrived. He wore the glow of pride, but the hue of disappointment with himself was not blotted out.

"I'll be better. I'll be the prince and king this country needs." Xander whispered. People began to enter his tent. "I'll be regal," his voice barely audible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was an absolute thrill to write. I loved doing this project and would love to hear which of the four chapters was your favorite!

**Author's Note:**

> I want to make a quick distinction. These are the ages I have in mind for the characters at the beginning of the game.
> 
> Elise: 13  
> Leo: 16  
> Corrin: 18  
> Camilla: 23  
> Xander: 25
> 
> These ages might not be right. Who knows, maybe I'm completely wrong in this reading of them. But for this story, these are their ages per the beginning of the game. We'll be looking in the past of each of these characters, and I'm using these a reference to how old various siblings would be at the time.


End file.
